Golden Pulse
by Masquerade-Puppeteer
Summary: Gold and Crimson, such colours were never meant to coexist, and yet there was never a more beautiful combination. Gold catches the eyes of all, bright and inviting. The perfect balance for chaotic stirrings of a Crimson King. AtemXOC Atem/OC
1. Prologue

**Golden Pulse**

**Prologue**

The hearts of all Egyptians seemed to beat as one, holding still in silence as they waited with baited breath. Eyes all rose up to the high balcony that stood above the city, looking over the homes, people and beauty that Ra had brought to them. Sun warmed their skin, scorched the earth and brought golden light to all the inhabitants of the planet. Children looked about in wonder, holding onto their parent's hands, skirts or pelts. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters all gathered together in wait for the appearance of Egypt's future Pharaoh.

The few faint murmurs that whispered throughout the crowd ceased altogether when they saw the curtains to the balcony open slowly, two guards stepping out to stand on either side with their eyes ever watchful. The kingdom watched with baited breath as the top of the Pharaoh's crown appeared before he approached the end of the balcony.

Without a word, he lifted the small bundle in his arms, basking the newborn baby in the light of their God and bringing a smile to the infant's face. The crowd erupted in cheers, a wave of movement washing through the citizens as their hands all reached up toward the Pharaoh and Prince, the pride on their king's face bringing joy to all of their hearts.

Prince Atem had finally arrived.

ɣ

Deep in the city, a woman's pained cries could be heard for many homes. Her hands gripped at the sheets that covered her, sweat pouring over her skin. A woman stood beside her, whispering to her softly and rubbing her shoulder in a sign of comfort. She panted heavily for breath, much needed air filling her lungs like sweat water to a parched man.

One last sharp, painful cry ripped passed her lips before she collapsed backward onto the sheets, her body trembling in fatigue. The sharp cry of a baby filled the room not a moment later, bringing a soft smile to her tired face. Her baby was finally here. She could distantly hear the cheers of the people as the Prince was presented. She wished she could be there, but she knew that there was no prolonging childbirth.

"It is a girl," The healer said softly as she gently ran water from the ready basin on a table beside the bed onto the newborn, washing her softly as the tiny girl squirmed and wailed loudly. The mother of the infant smiled tiredly at the healthy sounds of her baby, unable to stop the happiness that swelled within her.

"She was born the same day as the Prince," The woman beside the bed said softly as she stroked the mother's hair. "This must be a good omen. What will you name her?"

The mother smiled as she was handed the wrapped form of her new daughter, short tuffs of golden blonde hair visible around the silk material that she was wrapped in. The mother smiled down at her and gently lifted a hand to run her fingertips along the infant's cheek. The woman next to the small bed smiled at the sight, watching as the baby stopped crying nearly the instant she felt her mother's touch. Both women gasped loudly when she suddenly opened her eyes.

Pure gold.

"Oh Ra," The midwife said softly as she placed a hand over her heart, looking down into the bright, large golden eyes that were looking up at her mother, no other sound coming from her as she simply started up at the woman that had given birth to her. "I have never seen such a colour…"

"She is a true blessing from Ra, my little Khapri."


	2. Breathless

**Golden Pulse**

**Breathless**

**Prince Atem **sat on the large railing that surrounded the balcony attached to his room, the morning sun caressed his tanned skin like a warm blanket. He always enjoyed watching as Ra ascended into the sky, lighting it with reds and oranges, pinks and yellows. Only Ra could bring such a beautiful sight into the world, a sight that he knew many missed because they did not have the viewpoint that he did. He wished that he could share that sight with the world.

The people of the city were rising for the day, opening up their homes to remove out the stale air and bring in the cool morning while they could. The sun rose quickly and the heat moved in just as fast. No one seemed to notice him, or at least did not pay attention to where he was sitting. He knew that he could be seen, but the citizens of the city were also very used to seeing the Prince around the edge of the gardens, curiously watching as they went about their duties. A man that would one day rule Egypt and he didn't seem to know much about the usual daily work.

He was to be seventeen soon, and that meant that he would soon be of age to take the thrown. He was older than others of the past, so he believed he was prepared. People thought him a fool sometimes, assuming that he wasn't prepared for the responsibilities, but they were wrong. He had not snuck in on his father's meetings as a child just to be yelled at. He wanted to be the best King that Egypt had ever known, even better than his father was.

First, however, he had to find himself a queen. He needed someone to rule at his side, someone to bring him his own children and care for them as a mother should. He himself had never known what it was like to truly have a mother; his own had died while giving birth to him. He wanted to find a woman that would treat their children right, like jewels of the desert. He would settle for nothing less than perfect.

The doors to his chamber opened suddenly, causing Atem to jump from the place he was sitting quickly and spun around to face the entrance to his room, where his father was closing the door. An amused glint reflected in his eyes at his son's reaction, knowing that he thought he was going to be in trouble. He had asked Atem to remain in his room until he had had a chance to speak to him. That usually meant that he had found out Atem had skipped one of his lessons.

"Father," Atem greeted with a bow, keeping his back straight and arms at his sides in the proper manner.

"Straighten yourself, Atem. You are not in trouble this day," The King assured as he stepped further into the room, his long violet robe brushing the ground as he walked. Atem looked up in confusion as he straightened himself, wondering what it was his father wanted, if not to discipline him.

"May I ask, father, why it is you wished to speak to me, then?" Atem asked carefully as his father stepped onto the balcony as well and moving passed his son to stand right up at the railing. His decorated hands flattened out on the surface, his aged eyes overlooking the city.

"I wish to take you out into the City with me today," He declared straight out, continuing to watch the people under his rule. Atem blinked in surprise behind his father, unsure if he had heard correctly. His father had never allowed him into the city without full escort, but he himself went nearly alone many times. "There are people that you should meet, outside the palace."

"Who are these people? Friends to the thrown?"

"Friends of myself and your mother and who I have not seen them in some time, and I wish for you to meet," He explained frankly, looking over to his son once he had finished. Atem still looked dazedly confused, but nodded his head in understanding to what his father was saying. "Her daughter was actually born on the same day that you were, mere minutes later, in fact."

"You are trying to introduce me to another woman!" Atem accused loudly, before he flinching back when he realized that he had shouted at his father. The older man, however, didn't react badly but instead looked amused at his son's actions.

"She is very nice, Atem, but I am not trying to introduce you to another potential bride," His father clarified, turning to face the tri-colour haired male. "Khepri is your age, Atem, I simply wish for you to meet more that you can understand. What you wish to be with her is solely up to you."

Before long the King and Prince of the grand City in Thebes were prepared for their day in the city, only two guards accompanying them on their trip. Atem wore a deep violet cloak over his shoulders, covering only one arm, which matched his father's robe nearly perfectly. He felt strange to be wearing it, as it was usually only on special occasion that he was made to wear something so formal. He fiddled with the gold clasp on the shoulder for a moment before he and his father stepped out into the bright sun of morning; even more were people crowding through the streets than there had been when they stood upon Atem's balcony.

"Where are we going to?" Atem asked quietly as he walked next to his father, looking about at the different people that moved around, glancing their way and offering respectful bows before resuming their work. Many girls Atem's age stopped in their place when they saw him pass by, hands covering their mouths and giggling loudly. He looked away quickly, feeling irritation rise. He had always had a dislike for that sound. Giggling. Such a foolish and unladylike thing to do.

"We are heading straight for the heart of the City," His father answered eventually, nodding his head to some of the people that he passed, clearly having conversed with several before when they received greetings by name.

"I thought you said that the Palace was the heart of the City?" Atem asked quietly as he ducked away from where a man was hauling pales of water, bowing his head and apologizing while looking as happy as a king. He didn't appear to mind that his feet were bare and his hands were littered with mud and wood splinters and he had a fairly bad burn from the hot Egyptian sun.

"I suppose you are correct," his father said as he looked down to Atem with a smile, "Then, we are heading for the jewel of the city."

Atem fell silent as he looked away from his father, to where there were several market stalls set out along the roadway, showing off foods, jewellery, furniture, and even weapons. He marvelled a moment at a ruby hilted dagger before rushing to follow after his father, the guard that had lingered behind with him following just as quickly but on longer legs.

It was very simple to tell when one reaches the center of the City; there are always more people packed inside the large circle than anywhere else from the number of shops, displays, and playing children that were being yelled at by worried mothers. Atem couldn't help but smile when a group stopped what they were doing to look up at him and his father with large, innocent eyes. They had probably never seen royalty before and were struck.

He nodded his head to one of them, getting a large grin from the boy before the child rushed away to go and tell his mother, speaking faster than she could follow. He turned his attention back to his father, seeing that he was heading straight for a woman. She looked around the Pharaoh's age, her hair greying at the temples and crown, with laugh lines etched upon her face and a kind, motherly look about her. The booth that she was standing before appeared to connect to her home as well.

"My Pharaoh, it has been a long time since you have come to visit us," She greeted with a gentle bow at the waist, years of work taking its toll on her back. "And I see that you have finally brought the young Prince for a visit. An honour." She bowed again, this time taking her skirts in her hands and giving a more formal, ladylike curtsy. Less familiar than she had been with his father.

"Ibony, it is wonderful to see you. As always," His father greeted with a broad smile touching his face, leaning down to press a kiss to the woman's forehead. He turned to Atem finally, seeing that his son was watching with curiosity lighting his crimson eyes. "Atem, this is Ibony, she was a close friend of your mothers. Khepri is her daughter."

"Off again," Ibony said in an amused tone as she leaned around her stall to try and catch sight of the woman that his father had now mentioned twice. "She never seems to hold herself still, I am certain that if she could she would move about in her sleep as well." She turned a smile to Atem, as though it were some kind of private joke between the two. "She gives assistance around the City where she may for money, helping me here the rest of the time."

The booth that stood behind Ibony was littered with many different items to sell, from embroidered cloth to homespun jewellery. They all looked wonderfully made, Atem had to admit, and he found himself admiring the craftsmanship in the work. There were people that worked for his father that did not have such talent that the one who had made these possessed.

"I have the package that you requested," Ibony said suddenly, returning her attention to the Pharaoh. "Please, take a look around while I get it. I'm sure that the Prince has much to see." One last quick bow and she had disappeared inside the home, leaving her booth open. Atem briefly wondered why she was so trusting with her things, before he looked around and noticed that the neighbouring booths were keeping careful eyes around, taking care to watch over her booth as well. Clearly there was an agreement between the people of the City square. Thieves were sure to strike more in a crowded place and the stall owners watched out for each other.

"What do you think, my son?"

"It is not what I had expected," Atem admitted, looking around at the eyes that were directed toward them. Atem found himself curious when a large group of people seem to remain oblivious to their presence, crowding in a wide ring around something. The Pharaoh followed the Prince's eyes and smiled faintly before motioning for Atem to follow him and moving over toward the commotion. Atem could hear music playing as they approached, the people talking throughout the area making it hard to hear from far away. Flutes and string instruments.

The Pharaoh moved around the circle instead of using his status to part the crowd, finding a place that he could see. Atem moved up to where he was, stepping up onto small stack of crates. There were several scattered about the near vicinity that people were sitting on, watching the show or playing the instruments. Atem blinked in surprise when he was able to see over the heads of the people, exposing three women dancing to the music. There was no sort of routine, but they were in sync with one another enough that they made their movements flow. Two of the women looked the average Egyptian, but the third had amazingly brilliant golden hair, pulled back into a ribbon high on the back of her skull, braided down all the way to the tips of the strands that reached her waist.

"Khapri is the Lady with the golden hair," Atem's father explained to him quietly as he looked back at the transfixed gaze in his eyes. Atem only nodded numbly in reply, watching the movements of the dance. It was like nothing he had ever seen; there had never been a dancer at the palace that moved with such a grace, such open movements, as this woman did.

Her white skirt moved about her legs, a part up either side exposing the tanned skin beneath but still maintaining modesty. Atem found his eyes following the movements of her hips as she swung about, then was distracted by the sway of her long golden braid—catching in the sunlight as seeming to glow—before he finally found her face. She kept her eyes closed or barely open as she danced, hiding her eyes away from the people that watched. She began to clap in a rhythm as she moved, turning in a full circle and allowing her skirt to billow out around her like the petals of a flower in bloom. The crowd began to clap along, strengthening the beat.

Atem's heart jumped in his chest when she turned in the direction that he was standing once more, a smile lighting her face and her eyes opened to the spectators. Much like her hair, they were an amazing sight. Liquid gold if he'd ever seen it. The bands of the metal that she wore on her arms and wrists were nothing compared to the colour of her eyes.

She looked up at him at last, her golden eyes clashing with the dark crimson of his own. They had that one trait in common already; their eyes were truly unique to only themselves. She smiled at the sight of him, seeming to already know who he was, before she spun around and broke the eye contact with him. Atem felt breathless at the loss.

The music drew to a sharp close as the two dark haired dancers clapped loudly on the final note of the play, Khapri turning and throwing something up toward Atem in her final spin and stop. He caught it just barely, the light material nearly missing his fingertips. He recognized the embroidery straight away, the soft silk caressing his skin. When he looked up again, she was no longer standing with the other two women.

"Come, my boy," Atem's father said as he clapped a strong hand on the younger male's back, drawing him out of his thoughts rather roughly. "Let us go and meet with Ibony and Khapri."

* * *

><p><strong>I originally used this plot on my other story "The Crimson of Royalty &amp; The Gold Of A Goddess". However, I do not like the way I wrote it all those years back and I am now going to be re-writing it here, under a shorter title, of course! The plot and all that will still be the same for those two have read my other story, but there will be some changes, some large some not. I hope that you all love this story, I dare say that I think I've become a much better writer since I first published on this site. Please review, I would love for some feedback!<strong>


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